The Advanced
Centre for Materials Science (ACMS) at IIT Kanpur houses most of
the sophisticated facilities required for materials
characterization and preparation, especially in the area of
metals and ceramics. These facilities are utilized extensively by
users from various departments of the Institute as well as other
academic and industrial establishments.

The major facilities provided by the ACMS are
grouped in five laboratories. These are managed by the Users'
Committees drawn from various Departments of the Institute. Each
of the Users' Committees is headed by a convenor who along with
the rest of the members of the committee runs the affairs of the
laboratory. In what follows, an overview of the laboratories
along with the major facilities offered by them is presented.

Mechanical Testing Laboratory houses a wide
range of mechanical testing facilities.The laboratory is
built around a range of Universal Testing Machines (MTS
810, and Instron TTMCL and 1195) for loads up to 10 tons.
While the MTS is a closed loop servo-hydraulic unit
capable of operations at upto 200c/s, the Instron systems
are conventional screw type units. A range of load cells
catering to requirements for low load measurements are
also available. These systems offer calibrations
traceable to NPL standards and are equipped with a wide
range of grips and accessories to permit testing of
almost any material. There are various high temperature
furnaces which can be attached to the systems for
measurements up to 1600°C. Recently the MTS and Instron
systems have been upgraded by the addition of computer
based data acquisition systems. A Satec Creep Testing
Machine is also available. The laboratory also houses the
Optical Microscopy facility which includes a selection of
Zeiss, Olympus, Bausch & Lomb Optical Microscopes and
a Leitz Miniload Microhardness Tester. The electric
discharge machining unit and MR Microslice2 Low Speed
Diamond saw are also part of the laboratory. (Convenor:
Dr. Prashant Kumar, Department of Mechanical Egineering;
Technical Personnel: Mr. B.K. Jain)

Magnetics Laboratory is equipped with
Princeton Applied Research Model 151 and 155 Vibrating
Sample magnetometers for bulk materials characterization
at temperatures of up to 1000°C and magnetic fields of
up to 2.1T using a selection of Varian and Walker
Electromagnets. There is an RFL 747 impulse charger for
magnetizing specimen of up to 25mm diameter at fields of
up to 6T. A Shimadzu Differential Thermal Analyzer for
thermal analysis up to 1550°C is also located in this
laboratory. Locally developed DTA, TGA and TMA are likely
to be added to the laboratory shortly. (Convenor: Dr.
R.C. Sharma, Department of Materials and Metallurgical
Engineering; Technical Personnel: Mr. A. Agnihotri
)

Electron Microscopy Laboratory is built
around state of the art JEOL Transmission (JEM2000FX with
STM), and Scanning (JSM840) Electron Microscopes and
Electron Probe Microanalyzer (JXA8600). Both the
microscopes are equipped with a Kevex MS-2 Energy
Dispersive X-ray analyzer system and LN2
cooled detectors for quantitative elemental analysis.
While the SEM has a conventional Beryllium Window
detector, the TEM is equipped with a Quantum detector.
The Vacuum System on the TEM has recently been upgraded
by replacing the Sputter Ion Pump with a Turbo Molecular
Pump. This permits very fast pump down (~1 hour) of the
system. A range of preparative facilities including a
Gaton Ion-Milling Unit, Gaton Dimple Grinder, Tenupol Jet
Polisher, Polaron Vacuum Evaporation and Sputtering units,
etc. support these instruments. (Convenor: Dr. S.P.
Gupta, Department of Materials and Metallurgical
Engineering; Technical Personnel: M/s. S.C. Barthwal (TEM),
U.S. Lal, A. Agnihotri (SEM), R.P. Singh (EPMA))

The facilities specified above are supported by the
Mechanical Workshop (Mr. S. Singh) and the Electronics Workshop (Mr.
Chaturi Singh). These workshops cater to the routine fabrication
and maintenance requirements of the centre. Elemental Analysis
Facilities in the shape of GBC Integra XL ICP Optical Emission
Spectrometer and Milestone Microwave Digesting and Ashing System
procured by the centre recently (Directions, vol.1, no.2)
have been placed in the Facility for Ecological and Analytical
Testing (FEAT). Similarly the Superconducting Magnet facility and
Cryogenerator for the VSM are part of the Low Temperature
Laboratory of Physics. A group dedicated to Thin Film and Surface
Studies is in the process of being established.

The centre also houses the IIT Kanpur-National
Instruments Virtual Instrumentation (VI) Cell (Directions, vol.1,
no.1). The cell acts as the central repository for the
hardware and software for VI Activities, and also has a VI
Laboratory with six workstations equipped with DAQ hardware and
software.

Research Activities in the Centre have concentrated
on Crystal Growth & Electro-optics (K.V. Rao) and
Instrumentation (Sanjay Gupta). Facilities exist for the growth
and characterization of a wide range of electro-optic materials (ADP,
KDP, BSO, etc.). The centre has been one of the pioneers in the
area of computer based instrumentation. A range of DTA and TGA
systems developed at the centre have been commercialized.

ACMS offers competitive rates for various tests.
Special discounted rates are available to users from academic
institutions. Potential users within the Institute are advised to
contact the respective laboratories. Off-campus users may contact
the laboratory convenors directly, or the Head of the Centre.